1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to improvement of a clip used, for example, when a mold ceiling constituting a ceiling part of an automobile is coupled to a ceiling reinforcement and a front head panel, or when plural panels are coupled to one another.
2. Description of the Related Art
For example, a ceiling surface constituting the interior of the automobile is so composed that the mold ceiling made of synthetic resin is attached onto the lower surface side (interior side) of the ceiling reinforcement coupled to the front head panel in a state where the ceiling reinforcement is superimposed on the front head panel. In case that the above mold ceiling, the ceiling reinforcement and the front head panel are coupled to one another, in order to simplify an assembling operation, a clip 21 shown in FIG. 9 has been recently used instead of a bolt member and an adhesive.
The above clip 21 includes a grommet 24 having an-axial leg 23 formed in the shape of a hollow cylinder by a plurality of elastic pieces 22, 22 (three in the figure), and a pin member 26 that expands the above plural elastic pieces 22, 22 by being inserted into a hollow portion formed in the above axial leg 23. Further, flanges 27 and 28 are provided respectively for the above grommet 24 and the pin member 26. In case of the shown structure, a recess portion 29 into which the flange 28 of the above pin member 26 can be fitted is formed on the outer surface (upper surface in FIG. 9) of the flange 27 of the above grommet 24. Accordingly, in a state where the above pin member 26 is completely pushed into the grommet 24 (in a real fixing state), the flange 28 of the above pin member 26 is fitted into the above recess portion 29 so that the above flange 28 does not protrude very much from the flange 27 of the grommet 24.
In order to couple the above mold ceiling 18, the ceiling reinforcement 17 and the front head panel (not shown) to one another, firstly, the above grommet 24 is inserted into holes 30, 31 provided in positions where the mold ceiling 18, the ceiling reinforcement 17, and the front head panel to be coupled to one another are matched to one another, from one surface side (from interior side, and from upper side in FIG. 9) of the above mold ceiling 18. Then, the above pin member 26 is inserted into the hollow portion 25 of the grommet 24. Accompanied with this insertion of the pin member 26, the elastic pieces 22, 22 of the above grommet 21 are expanded on the other surface side (exterior side) of the above ceiling reinforcement 17 (front head panel), and the mold ceiling 18, the ceiling reinforcement 17 and the front head panel can be coupled to one another in a superimposed state on one another.
Further, in order to smooth the assembling process, so-called modularization has been recently promoted. For example, the above ceiling reinforcement 17 and the mold ceiling 18 are previously fixed to each other temporarily, and thereafter, they are really fixed to the above front head panel in an automobile assembling factory. In case that this assembling method is adopted, the assembling operation is readily performed using the above clip 21. Namely, the above ceiling reinforcement 17 and the mold ceiling 18 are temporarily fixed by the above clip 21. In this case, the above pin member 26 is not completely inserted into the grommet 24 but is stopped in a half position. Hereby, the elastic pieces 22, 22 of the above grommet 24 are expanded to some degree, and the above ceiling reinforcement 17 and the mold ceiling 18 are a little coupled to each other. The ceiling reinforcement 17 and the mold ceiling 18 are carried in the assembling factory in this state, and they are coupled to the above front head panel. At this time, the above pin member 26 is only inserted into the grommet 24 completely, so that the assembling operation is simplified, the manufacturing time is reduced, and the manufacturing cost is reduced.
However, in the above-described conventional clip 21, the following disadvantages exist. Namely, in case that the pin member 26 constituting the above clip 21 was inserted into the grommet 24 in order to be temporarily fixed to the grommet 24, it was easy to drop out of this grommet 24. Therefore, in case that the panels (the above ceiling reinforcement 17, mold ceiling 18, and the like) that have been temporarily fixed using this clip 21 are transported, there is fear that the pin member 26 drops out on the way of transportation and the temporarily fixing state cannot be maintained. Further, even if the temporarily fixing state is maintained, since the pin member 26 drops out, the real fixing cannot be performed, so that the trouble is produced in the assembling process.
In order to solve the above-described disadvantages, a clip has-been disclosed in JP-B-61-053562, which includes a female member that corresponds to the above grommet and includes a slit, a male member that corresponds to the above pin member, and a temporarily stopping piece that is provided for this male member and fitted in a base end of the above slit. In case of the clip disclosed in JP-B-61-053562, the above temporarily stopping piece is fitted in the base end of the slit by inserting the above male member into the female member, whereby the male member and the female member are prevented from separating from each other. Accordingly, such the disadvantages are solved that the pin member 26 drops out on the way of the transportation like the conventional clip 21 shown in FIG. 9 and that the temporarily fixing state cannot be maintained.
However, in case of the aforesaid clip disclosed in JP-B-61-053562, when the male member is inserted into the female member, the temporarily stopping piece formed in the male member does not always enter into the slit formed in the female member. In case that the above temporarily stopping pieces does not enter into the slit, after the above male member is forcedly inserted into the female member, the above temporarily stopping piece must be caused to coincide with the slit forming position by rotating this male member properly to fit the temporarily stopping piece-in the slit base end. Therefore, the work performance was very unsatisfactory. Further, when the panels (the above ceiling reinforcement 17, mold ceiling 18 and the like) are temporarily fixed, in case that the temporarily stopping piece formed in the male member is not entering into the slit formed in the female member, there is fear that the male member drops out of the female member easily.
The invention has been made in view of the aforesaid circumstances and therefore an object of the invention is to provide the clip which prevents the pin member from dropping out without the complicated structure and which is satisfactory for the attaching work performance.
According to a first aspect of the invention, in the clip provided with a grommet having an axial leg formed in the shape of a hollow cylinder by a plurality of elastic pieces, and a pin member that expands the above plural elastic pieces by being inserted into a hollow portion formed in the above axial leg, the above pin member includes an axial portion that can be inserted into the above hollow portion, and a temporarily stopping piece that is provided for this axial portion and protrudes outward; the above grommet includes a recess portion which is formed on the inner surface of the above axial leg so as to extend from the top portion of the grommet to a slit formed between the adjacent elastic pieces; and the base end portion of the above slit serves as a fitting receiver in which the above temporarily stopping piece is fitted.
In the thus constructed clip according to the first aspect of the invention, in case that the pin member is inserted into the grommet in the temporarily fixing state, while the temporarily stopping piece provided for the axial portion of the pin member is being guided in the recess portion provided for the above grommet, the axial portion of this pin member is inserted into the hollow portion of the grommet. Thereafter, the above temporarily stopping piece is fitted in the fit receiver provided for the grommet. Therefore, the work of inserting the pin member into the grommet is easily performed, and the pin member is effectively prevented from dropping out of the grommet in the temporarily fixing state after the complete insertion.
Further, the clip according to a second aspect of the invention is characterized in that the above pin member includes a dam formed at a portion with which the above axial leg comes into elastic contact at the real fixing time.
In the thus constructed clip according to the second aspect of the invention, in case that the pin member is inserted into the grommet in the real fixing state, due to the existence of the above dam, the elastic piece provided for the grommet is effectively prevented from shifting and moving. Further, such an effect can be also expected that the above pin member is difficult to rotate in relation to the grommet due to the existence of this dam. Therefore, the grommet and the pin are prevented from shifting and moving, and the stable fixing state can be maintained also after the real fixing.
Further, the clip according to a third aspect of the invention is characterized in that a first flange is formed at the base end of the axial leg of the grommet and a second flange of which the diameter is larger than that of the above first flange is formed at the base end of the axial portion of the pin member and that a surface on the axial portion side of the above second flange is a recess surface into which the above first flange can be fitted. In case of this constitution, the projecting amount of the flange from the wall surface of the panel is reduced and a look is better. Further, the user is prevented from hitching his finger on the projecting flange and being injured, so that safety is improved.
Further, the clip according to a fourth aspect of the invention is characterized in that a tapered portion is provided for the base end of the hollow portion of the grommet and that the inclination of the leading end portion of the above temporarily stopping piece is steeper than the inclination of the above tapered portion. By adopting this constitution, the insertion of the axial portion into the above hollow portion is readily performed.
Further, the clip according to a fifth aspect of the invention is characterized in that the above recess portion continues from the middle of the above tapered portion. By adopting this constitution, the above temporarily stopping pieces is readily guided to the above recess portion.